A Lily Love Story
by Wildcat Ohrya
Summary: Not exactly the usual L/J romance... MWP are trying to help James- by putting a love potion on Lily. Lily is obsessed! She'll do anything she can to get to him. Anything. Third story in MM, read bio more info.
1. Prologue

A Lily Love Story  
::Prolgue::  
  
Lily Evans opened her eyes. She felt refreshed, relaxed and oddly calm. Of the past few weeks she seemed only to be able to remember a strange, chaotic desire for murder. Confused, her face puckered up into a frown, yet her mind was too serene for her face to remain so for long. Sitting up in the white sheets, she was once again confused as she saw the neat cleanliness of the enclosed room around her. Large white curtains hung down from the ceiling, leaving her in her own state of seclusion. Nothing perturbed her thoughts or movements. Nothing at all. Nothing except... James.  
  
The thought came to her as an awakening, yet not a surprise. It seemed that her and James had always been together, even though in the past few years they'd said fewer than one hundred words to one another. She smiled with pleasure as she remembered his hair, his eyes... Even his frown was dear to her. She felt as though she were on a peaceful cloud, looking down at him. All her thoughts seemed focussed upon James, and only James. She smiled in sincere joy, falling back among the pillows.  
  
Turning her head, she considered jumping out of bed and running to find him, yet she was certain that he would find her - for how could she love someone so much, and not be loved in return? Sighing she shifted her weight and sank further into the bed: hoping for happy dreams of James.  
  
***//\\//\\***  
  
Madam Pomfrey quietly entered the white bed chamber, wondering why she always got stuck with the horrible jobs. The white glare reminded her of sun on snow, and she sincerely considered leaving to find some sunglasses. Or perhaps just leave altogether, for Poppy wasn't too happy at being within metres of a fully awake and possibly crazy Lily Evans.  
  
Nervous and hesitant, Poppy, whilst shielding her eyes from the glare, glanced over towards the bed. The window was partly opening, allowing the entrance of sweet bird's song and the brittle sunlight of winter. All of this was directed to the large, white quilted bed.  
  
The bed that was empty.  
  
Poppy Pomfrey gave a little gasp of surprise, and felt her pulse quicken. Stepping further into the room, and wondering just what she would possibly find, Poppy narrowed her eyes and looked around the room, searching for her lost student.  
  
Lily Evans hadn't even noticed Madam Pomfrey's furtive attempts at finding her. She was currently sitting at her dressing table, running a fine brush through her fiery locks. She wondered why her hair was in such poor condition, with split and ragged ends. Her skin, too, was rather more blotchy than she had thought. Hopefully James wouldn't mind... In her eyes, James was perfect. Handsome, caring, considerate...  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted suddenly by a little shriek coming from near what Lily recognised as the entrance - she had already tried it and found it locked, much to her dismay.  
  
Turning gracefully from her reflection, Lily looked towards the door.  
  
Madam Pomfrey had shrieked in shock at seeing a girl she considered half mad in an engaged in an activity so - normal. Poppy nearly yelped again when she saw Lily's expression, for a smile graced those sweet lips.  
  
"Madam Pomfrey!" Lily exclaimed, delighted. She and the nurse, although not overly well acquainted, had always been on good terms.  
  
In response, Poppy voiced something that sounded oddly like a squeak.  
  
"Oh, please, tell me what I'm doing here. When can I return to classes? What have I missed out on? How long have I been out?" Although her smile was still there, a worried glint was obvious in her eye for a second or two, just long enough for Poppy to notice it.  
  
Trying to hide her concerns, Poppy put on her best bed-side voice, trying to sound caring and motherly all at the same time.  
  
"You've been in a coma-like state for a few weeks now. You missed Christmas, I'm afraid," Lily got a downcast look to her eye at the mention of this, "And you missed the mid-year exams." Not such a big frown, this time, though Lily certainly looked slightly worried, interrupting Madam Pomfrey.  
  
"Do I get a chance to re-sit them? I may have to catch up on some work first, I suppose. I'm sorry, but I don't want to repeat an entire semester, please, please organise for me to be able to do the exams. Even a series of small tests might have the same effect-."  
  
Madam Pomfrey waved her to a stop, wearing a smile herself, even if it was tinged with a little exasperation.  
  
"Your Professors all said that you had been doing well enough in their subjects to be awarded an immediate pass, rather than going through the full bother of a re-test." Lily looked quite relieved to hear this, though a slight frown still puckered her forehead, and she was quietly thoughtful as she asked:  
  
"Madam Pomfrey, when can I come out of here? I know I haven't been the nicest person, but I feel so much better now..."  
  
Madam Pomfrey, too, looked thoughtful as she considered the girl's plea. Indeed, the girl didn't seem to resemble that crazy she-devil in the slightest, forcing Poppy to reconsider her previous views of the child.  
  
"If, in a week, you don't show any signs of relapse or emotional chaos then you will be free to return to your previous dorm in the Ravenclaw common-room."  
  
Jumping up from the stool on which she had perched for the entire conversation, Lily ran, laughing and smiling, to Madam Pomfrey. Grasping her around the middle, Lily gave the biggest hug she could manage, exceedingly happy that her freedom would soon commence-  
  
-and that her life with James would soon begin.  
  
***//\\//\\***  
  
A week passed slowly in the white room, and Lily was exceptionally glad that she only had to put up with one of them. Her room faced the Forbidden Forest, so she didn't really see much of the other students. She really was secluded in her own little room, which really wasn't what Lily wanted. She was completely bored, even studying books didn't seem interesting by the fiftieth re-read.  
  
All she had to keep herself occupied were thoughts of James... Thankfully, that was enough - otherwise she really could have gone insane, what with being stuck in that prison cell of perfect white solitude.  
  
Madam Pomfrey came once or twice to check up on her, and Lily enjoyed these visits, though otherwise she was completely alone. She had thought, at first, that she may be able to attend meals with everyone else, though meal time neared and no one came to collect her. When meal time did arrive, a large array of food appeared on the small white table near her window. Resigned to eating alone, Lily sat at her table with a single chair and single set of knife and fork, still wishing for company.  
  
Lily was ready to scream when the final day came, though restrained herself, expecting that such "angry" behaviour would earn her another week in the white room.  
  
That evening, after Lily had eaten her lonesome dinner, Madam Marmalade arrived for the first time. Grumpy and surprised at Lily's good manners, Madam Marmalade made her go through a series of uncomfortable tests in which she was stabbed, poked and prodded by the energetic efforts of her nurse's wand. Meanwhile Madam Marmalade was muttering things and taking notes, not even noticing Lily's pointing looks of discomfort.  
  
Finally, the torture ended, and Madam Marmalade called off her wand. Lily stood in the middle of the room, feeling like a gawky idiot, wearing nothing but a bra and undies while the large woman continued to mumble and write down little scraps of information onto a piece of paper.  
  
Trying to gain the woman's attention, Lily noisily cleared her throat, then abruptly cut herself off, wondering whether a bad cough would earn her one week or two. Her action drew away the woman's attention, however, for which Lily was most grateful.  
  
"Can I get dressed now, Madam?" Lily asked, trying to sound as polite and proper as she possibly could.  
  
Madam Marmalade only lowered her eyebrows in further scrutiny of the young woman before her.  
  
"How do you feel?" she asked, seriously.  
  
"Fine," replied Lily, completely honest.  
  
"Count to ten, backwards?" Lily looked a little confused at this, but complied, anyway, frowning over some of the odd words.  
  
"eno, owt, eerht, ruof..."  
  
Madam Marmalade looked a little confused, also, and then slightly admiring, as Lily finished with ease. Looking down to her piece of paper, Madam Marmalade asked her final question:  
  
"What is another name for Monkshood?"  
  
Lily wondered what she was going on about, answering, hopefully:  
  
"Wolfsbane?"  
  
Distracted, Madam Marmalade said, "No, it's seven letters... Are you sure you can't think of anything else?"  
  
"Umm... Aconite?" Lily supplied, still looking definitely confused.  
  
"Yes! That's it! Thankyou Lily! Ha! And Poppy didn't think I could do it!" Madam Marmalade was almost jumping for joy, still making odd exclamations. It was in her abandon that Lily happened to take a look at the piece of paper she had been scribbling on.  
  
Many crossed out words and scribbles adorned the small scrap of parchment, though it was obvious that all the boxes were filled. Madam Marmalade had completed a small crossword. Lily couldn't help but roll her eyes in disbelief.  
  
A still rollicking Madam Marmalade had already headed towards the door, clutching her crossword and crying inarticulate words of obvious joy. She seemed to calm when she reached the exit, however, and turned to face Lily.  
  
"You're fine. You have my permission to move back to your original quarters tonight."  
  
Lily was soon jumping around as much as the nurse had been. Though when she was once again on her own, for Madam Marmalade had left - without locking the door - Lily settled down enough to sit still, though her mouth was still in a massive grin. Her thoughts, however, were even happier.  
  
"James," she whispered, "Here I come...!"  
  
A/N  
I realise that this was only short, but I need you to realise that it is only a prologue and my chapters will soon retain their usual span of 5000 words or more after this.   
  
YAY!! I'm so incredibly happy!! Finally, at long, LONG, last I get to begin Lily Love. I really wasn't interested in writing the prologue, though it seems to have worked out okay - much better than I had expected. I wrote the first little section of this weeks and weeks ago, when I had originally had it as chapter eight of Lily Love. From there it moved to being the epilogue for Prelude, and has now become a prologue for Lily Love... Isn't it strange how some things work?  
  
I want to start on Lily Love right away, though It's currently 11:00am and I'm sitting at the computer in pyjamas and dressing gown, having already been yelled at twice for not being dressed and also told to tidy my room... As well as that, Gypsy is most certainly protesting - during school she was usually fed at 7:00am, and I'm yet to feed her today... Sorry sweety!  
  
Disclaimer: Wolfsbane, Monkshood and Aconite were taken directly from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's/ Sorcerer's Stone. (The Gryffindor's first class with Professor Snape)  
  
I've lots more that I want to say, including a massive thankyou to my beta, Ariqua, and a not-quite-so-big thankyou to Alanna and her story "Opposites Attract" for some necessary inspiration.  
  
That's all I've time for now, I hope you enjoy the rest of Lily Love, and if you haven't yet read Lily's Revenge or Prelude to a Love Story, I suggest you do (though it isn't completely necessary)  
  
Thanks muchly everyone!  
  
-wildcat- 


	2. Catching Up

****

A LILY LOVE STORY

__

Chapter One: Catching Up

Sky Winkkin looked up into Remus Lupin's faded blue eyes, thinking them the sweetest she had ever seen. His hair, a light brown, curled loosely about his head and brushed into a neat part. Remus had a neat nose, and thin, smiling, lips. Even as they walked alone towards the Ravenclaw common room, those lips curved into a soft, slightly mischievous smile. Most of all, however, Sky liked his ears. Not that there was anything different about them, but they seemed perfect to Sky, nestled between his hair; hidden by curls. His neck was alright, too, she decided, though Sky wouldn't allow her eyes to stray down any further. Even at the thought, she felt a faint blush stain her cheeks and turned her head, hoping that Remus wouldn't notice. His smile widened, however, and Sky doubted that it was simply through sheer inner happiness… Particularly as he was looking right at her.Sky felt her eyes caught by his, and couldn't look away. His faded, tired, eyes. Nothing else seemed to exist while she watched them, feeling herself drawn into his eyes, mesmerised. A small smile graced her face, and widened as she fell deeper into Remus' hold. Remus, her friend and confidante; no one had ever meant so much to her.

Drawing closer to him, Sky felt her pulse quicken, and knew the breaths she drew were quicker, and suddenly she felt sensitive all over, particularly noticing just where Remus touched her, just how his hands held her. Just how his eyes watched her.

Moving up to the kiss, Sky closed her eyes, knowing it would be just as she'd dreamed.

"SURPRISE!" Came the sudden shout, jolting Sky and Remus away from one another, though not before they heard the distinct 'snick' of a camera and the were blinded by the flash.

It was the laughter that truly drew them apart, however. Loud, raucous, absurd, and irritating laughter. Sky looked around at the faces and ran, ignoring Remus as he called after her. She wasn't upset or angry as others may have been, Sky was just excruciatingly embarrassed. The catcalls and whistles that followed her didn't help, either.

Sirius Black, James Potter and Peter Pettigrew, stood around congratulating each other. The camera was held in Sirius' hands, which were high above his head as he brandished his prize. A massive smile lit James' face, erasing the worry lines that had sat there for some days now. Peter was laughing silently, so much so that he had to use James and Sirius as supports to keep himself standing.

After his calls to Sky earned him no response, Remus turned towards the group of cheerful boys. His face, although slightly flushed, was the perfect image of annoyance, and he glowered at the boys.

Who simply kept on laughing, occasionally halting the laughter for a moment to reminisce on a particular expression which either or both had worn. This would then pull them back into fits of laughter, continuing the cycle.

Knowing exceedingly well just how long these people could keep up their laughter, and just how oblivious they could be to glares, Remus sighed and decided that he really didn't have the time to wait them out. Turning with stiff formality, he strode down the hall, ignoring the laughter that followed him.

Sirius, Peter and James didn't even notice Remus' departure. It wasn't until some hours later, when they happened to here Mrs. Norris, the care takers cat, walk by that they even remembered where they were – returning to the Gryffindor common room in a hurry.

--- --- ---

Sky leant against the opening to the Ravenclaw common room in relief. Her cheeks were still bright red, and she panted from the run. Never had she been so embarrassed, not even when she dropped her trunk on top of that seventh year in her first year. Not even when she had fallen from the top of one of the long staircases and rolled to the head masters feet. Not even when she… Sky stopped, deciding that it was all too depressing. She didn't even try to consider what might have happened between her and Remus. Yet she couldn't help but remember. She had been falling into those big, safe arms, and drowning in his serious, sweet eyes. She had been -.

"Sky?"

Sky snapped out of her thoughts, though the blush of her cheeks revealed that they had been there.

"Sky!"

The voice came again. Sky turned towards its source, certain that she remembered, yet unable to place it.

Lily Evans stopped, and stared at her friend. Didn't Sky even recognise her? Had she changed so much? Hesitant, now, Lily looked all around the room, rather than at Sky's face. It seemed like months since she had sunk into one of the super-soft armchairs; studied by the fireplace; or gazed out one of the large windows… She wondered distractedly if she would be able to see James from the windows. A sound, her name being spoken repeatedly, suddenly impinged on her thoughts.

"Lily!"

Lily Evans finally turned to face her friend, and was enveloped in a sudden and unexpected hug.

"I've been so worried, Lils," Sky said once she had finally released her best friend. "I thought you were never going to get better… And then you were so angry." Sky's expression turned grave as she looked Lily in the eye. "Promise me, Lily, that you'll never be that angry again." Lily tilted her head, puzzled. She couldn't recall being that horrible, though seeing the seriousness of Sky's face, Lily was forced to believe her. A small glimmer of memory drifted along the back of her mind, yet before Lily could grasp it, the thought had gone again.

"I promise," Lily replied with all the solemnity she could muster, before breaking into smiles again. "How are you Sky? Where were you tonight? I've been here for ages! How did you go in the exams?" A small frown of worry pinched Lily's nose as she wondered about the tests. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you… How bad was it?"

Sky's expression altered slightly at this mention if her help. Yet her face didn't stop there, as memories of what had previously occurred were suddenly brought back into light. The blushing Sky tried to avoid Lily's curious look of inquiry.

"I… err… found some people willing to help me…" Sky mumbled. "I actually did quite well! 89 in Transfiguration – Can you believe it?" Sky's blush was gone as she finished, replaced by a look of wonder and joy at a mark that was more than double what Lily had expected to hear.

"But, that's wonderful! Congratulations! Perhaps I should ask for some tutoring from these "friends" of yours." The suggestive hint in Lily's eye as she laughed was enough to return Sky back to her fits of furious blushing. Lily laughed even harder, pleased to be so happy. Somewhere in Sky's mind was the surprise at hearing Lily laugh with such abandonment – something she hadn't done for over a month. "So, what's his name?"

Sky blushed even harder.

"LILY!"

Relieved, Sky used the respite to her best advantage – trying to control her burning cheeks. Lily's attention moved to the person running up behind her, almost pushing her to the floor with enthusiasm.

"Lily! How are you? How have you been? Is your mother all right?" Louise Devon asked, troubled eyes warring with her joyous mouth.

Noticing Lily's puzzled look; Sky tried her best to fill her in. "Professor Dumbledore came in here, extremely serious, telling us how your mother had taken ill and you wouldn't be back until the matter resolved itself."

"She isn't dead, is she?" Butted in Louise, eyes wide in fear at the thought. "Andrew was putting all these horrible ideas in our head about how Lord Voldemort had come to your house and everything…" Trying to process all of this information as quickly as possible, Lily realised with a sudden shock that they required some sort of response from her.

"Oh… Erm… My mother was ill." Sky was nodding her head, as though trying to encourage a five year old to keep speaking. Lily was tempted to hit her. It wasn't Lord Voldemort-," she heard Louise let out a sigh of relief, "-but just a bad virus that affected her breathing. They were worried for a bit, and Mum really wanted me by her side." Warming to the story, Lily was tempted to elaborate further, but she had her own questions to ask. "How did you do in the Exams, Loui?" The ecstatic grin that crossed her friend's face answered that question well enough.

"It was fabulous! Oh Lily, I got into the room, sat down at the desk and simply wrote down the answers. It was like you said it would be – I knew everything! Those books you suggested for me to read ages ago really did help."

"I knew they would." Lily was all smiles for her friends' achievements, though the discussion of results suddenly brought her back to a question she'd been meaning to ask Sky.

As if sensing her inquiry, Sky backed away from Lily; her cheeks reddening as she did so.

"Well?" asked Lily, demanding some sort of answer.

"Well what?" Sky replied weakly, trying to avoid looking in Lily's persistent direction. Louise looked on at the drama playing out before her, a slight smile on her face. She had never been really good friends with Sky, feeling that she and the meek girl had nothing in common. This was a side of the girl that she had truly never seen before.

"Who helped you out with the exams?" Lily began to get a sneaking suspicion that it was James, and felt that she would have to hate Sky were that so. Becoming slightly unreasonable at the thought of losing her beloved to her best friend, Lily asked again forcefully. "Who! Tell me!"

"Remus Lupin"

The answer came out as a squeak, and Lily wasn't the only one surprised. Louise couldn't help but splutter in shock as she asked, amazed, "Remus Lupin? You are friends with REMUS Lupin?"

A vague nod from Sky was the only affirmative she got, yet that was enough for Louise to go into fits of outrage. Remus was considered one of the most popular boys in the school, so how had Sky even gotten near him?

With obvious effort, Louise calmed herself down. This time it was Lily who watched everything unfold before her, all serenity returned now that she knew James was hers once again. A slight smile tipped her lips upwards as she thought of the repercussions that could follow… Remus _was_ one of James' best friends…

"Is that where you were, Sky?" asked Lily, curious as to the extent of her friend's relationship.

Once again, that slight nod to indicate "Yes".

Lily laughed. It felt so good to laugh; to finally be able be able to smile and play again. She felt cleaner while she laughed, as though she forced all of those unsubstantial thoughts of anger away from her. She was certain that James must have a wonderful laugh too, and laughed all the louder for what she knew would come. James loved her. How could he not when she considered him so dear?

Without realising, Sky had joined in the laughter, too. Suddenly it all seemed just so funny, with her worrying about how her friends might react to hearing she had a relationship with Remus, or her fears for whether Lily would still be crazy. Everything seemed to be back to normal again.

Louise looked at them both laughing so happily, as though everything in life were a carefree joke. Their good humour infectious, Louise found herself laughing too, the tears running down her cheeks. Rather than calming down, they all laughed louder when they noticed the salty water that flowed freely down Louise's face as she chuckled even more exuberantly.

"SHUT UP!" Came the shouted cry from the top of one of the dorm stairs. It was loud and sudden enough to break their laughing fit, though they still watched one another and giggled. The clock over the fire place read 11:30, so perhaps that yell was called for, yet the girls still kept smiling as they hurried up the stairs to their dorm, breaking into silent bouts of laughter every so often.

--- --- ---

"MERRY CHRISTMAS" Shouted Louise, Sky, Amy Duguid and Francis Ellamore as they dragged her up from bed some seven and a half hours later. Muttering to them about sleep and slippers, Lily soon lost all thoughts of protesting as she noticed the small pile at the foot of her bed. Becoming wide awake, she pushed their hands off of her and snatched away the jug of water before they could think of doing anything with that. Pushing her purple and blue quilt before her, she shifted herself towards the pile, looking up at her friends as she did so.

"It isn't Christmas! What are you talking about?" Lily felt a strange sense of vertigo as her senses told her Christmas wouldn't be for another two weeks, while her mind told her it was about two weeks gone. Shaking the strange thoughts from her head, Lily continued. "You really shouldn't have." Guilt suddenly racked her, "I haven't gotten anything for you…"

The four girls rolled their eyes at her complaints, smiling as they forcefully pushed her at the small mound of gifts. "That doesn't matter," Amy assured her, "We still wanted to give these to you."

"Anyway," said Francis impishly, "This means that you have to spend _twice_ as much on us next year!"

Lily smiled at her, confirming that, yes; she would buy them all extra good Christmas presents next time round. She still hadn't touched the neatly wrapped presents.

"Are you going to open them then?" asked Louise, beginning to get irritated with Lily's lack of action. Her face soon lost its expression of irritation however as she asked: "Or do you need us to do that for you? You were never this weak before…" The look of concern on the girls' faces decided Lily, and she set to unwrapping the parcels arrayed before her.

The first item was a giant leather-bound book filled with ancient charms, given to her by Amy. Lily knew she would spend many a night poring over this and she thanked Amy gratefully. Francis had given her a pair of slippers that were supposed to look like bright green frogs, but Lily supposed that "big green wrinkly things" would better describe them. Louise had given her some interesting hair accessories as well as a packet of special Honey Dukes chocolate. Considering how long it had been since Christmas, Lily was vaguely surprised that they were still there to be given her. 

Sky's present was last. A small bracelet with an odd crystal hanging from it came tinkling out of a crushed velvet bag of deep blue. Lily held the silver bracelet up to the light, watching as small shots of fire struck out from the jewel. Reaching for it, Lily was startled enough to nearly drop the fine piece of jewellery when the crystal suddenly changed into a vibrant blue upon touching her flesh. Sky was quick to explain, smiling as she did so.

"It's a magical mood crystal," Sky informed them, all but her looking at the piece in awe. "It changes colour to reflect whatever mood your in, though some say that it can also change colour to match your clothes or eyes. Either way, the crystal is strong, and can will glow in every colour possible – even some that humans can't see!" Louise was beginning to look at it with some disbelief, though Lily was curious; she wondered what had prompted Sky to buy such an expensive seeming gift.

As if in answer, Lil's mind brought back the picture of Sky's serious face as she spoke of fear at Lily's rage. Lily didn't want that thought to cloud her mind, and imagined herself tossing it away; bring back the thought that it was simply a pretty gift given to her from a caring friend. Idly, she wondered if James would like it.

Reaching into the small bag that Lily sat forgotten on her lap, Sky pulled from it a small booklet that Lily hadn't even noticed when she first tipped out the pretty bracelet. Still staring at the pretty crystal that had drifted from blue to orange and now to rose pink, Lily listened with only half her mind as Sky rattled off what some of the different colours meant.

"There are a few main colours which affect different emotions, and from there you just combine them together to understand what they mean. Such as, sapphire means tranquillity, so light blue, which means curiosity, mixed with sapphire, would mean that you are curious in a calm sort of way. Such as you were before." They all glanced at the ring, which was drifting towards a blue and pink with shots of red mix now. "But obviously aren't any more… The more you get used to it, the more you'll understand it. What you have now would mean –," Sky began furiously flicking though the book, giving definitions sporadically. "Umm… Red is passion, rose pink is love while blue is calm. So you must be calmly considering love in a passionate sort of way… Oh, that doesn't make much sense, does it…" Sky continued flicking through the booklet, muttering as she did so.

Lily had looked up in shock when Sky had described her feelings exactly, yet she was happy that no one had noticed her shocked expression. Louise and Amy had begun getting ready for school, while Francis was craning her neck trying to look over Sky's shoulder at the pages that were continually flicking through, while, at apparently random, words flashed across the pages, occasionally disappearing altogether. Carefully, Lily clasped the bracelet, now a blue/ green combination, to her wrist. Standing up, stretching, and then beginning to pack away her new presents.

"Drat!" Sky exclaimed, glaring as all the writing kept moving away from her vision and drifting onto other pages. "Why does it keep doing that?" she exclaimed getting frustrated with the little book. Lily looked up at her in surprise: What had happened to the meek, shy Sky she had been friends with for the past five years? Sky would never have gotten so obviously angry over a book before.

"Give it to me, Sky," said Lily, as she held out her hand. "It's time we got ready for breakfast, anyway."

"Oh, alright," replied Sky, handing the book over begrudgingly. As soon as she stopped perusing the book, the words came to a sudden halt, with only pictures and diagrams of the crystal itself left moving as they sparkled from the pages. Noticing their ceasing of movement, Sky grumbled some more before beginning to get ready for school.

***//\\//\\***

As always as breakfast times, the dining hall was a noisy confusion of chaos and owls as students set about eating their breakfast and retrieving mail. The rattling of knife, fork and spoon was a background to the general gossiping of the students, who spoke louder and louder as they attempted to be heard over the noise of almost a thousand other students. Of course, all of this was made ten-fold worse by the ever persistent Marauders as they set off some filibuster fireworks at the Slytherin table, prompting them into screams of fury and the other tables into fits of laughter. Many students disliked the students who occupied the Slytherin House – it was well known that they were the nastiest and most ambitious in the school.

Gryffindors, however…

"Did you see the look on Snape's face when his robe caught on fire?" asked Peter Pettigrew, practically shouting to be heard over the pandemonium ensuing. A mischievous glint brightened his eye as his expression echoed the hilarity of his inner thoughts.

"I know! He certainly didn't see that one coming," answered Sirius Black, his own face split in a broad grin. Black eyes, framed by black hair, laughed with Peter, amusement in his gaze.

"It's not exactly surprising, you know," commented Remus Lupin, drily, "Seeing as he had absolutely no idea that those fireworks _would_ light a fire…" All three boys' grins broadened at this, for they had created the flammable fireworks, despite having to … borrow… a few items off one of the teachers.

James Potter, the fourth and final Marauder, wasn't listening to their conversation. Or, if he was, he didn't add any comments. Soft brown eyes – that had been commented on by numerous students in the female category – stared intently at the hall's grand entrance, as though they were transfixed by something. His breath seemed to come faster, suddenly, before it suddenly stopped altogether.

Lily Evans entered the scene.

Wrenching his eyes away from the figure with curly red hair, James returned to his bowl of cereal dipping in his spoon as he did so. Realising his breathing had stopped he purposefully drew and exhaled a deep breath. Forcefully, he tried to move his thoughts away from the girl who stood so hesitantly. He did not notice the spoonful of cereal missing his mouth, however. Nor did he see the combination of muesli and milk fall to his lap. In truth, his eyes had strayed back to the girl who stood so far, and yet so close.

Sirius noticed the glob of breakfast, poking Remus and Peter as he did so. All three noticed the direction of his gaze, and followed it with some trepidation. Few things so worried their best friend.

Lily Evans glanced around the room, trying not to act like a stranger. For some reason she felt as though she didn't fit in, and she stressed that James would perhaps see her looking so lost. The five tables that were the main feature of the hall lay out before her, with one for each of the four houses and the last being where the teacher's sat. Her friends were ahead of her, already walking towards the Ravenclaw table, they didn't seem to have noticed Lily's hesitation.

The hall looked no different to the way it always had. In all of the five years she had been here, there had rarely been a day in which the room was silent, so she wondered what it was that made it seem so strange today. Perhaps it was more the way she felt, yet Lily was so confused that she had simply no idea as to why she should be altered.

Without meaning to, Lily's eyes wandered over to the Gryffindor table. It was not too far from where she stood, and she could see the people sitting at it quite clearly. A small scuffle drew her attention to the corner closest to the of the Gryffindor table. Was that James who just turned his head so quickly? As though looking suddenly away in an attempt not to meet her eye? Lily felt a quiver of anticipation, and suddenly felt a lot more confident. The magical mood bracelet, sitting neatly on her right wrist, had till then been tinged with the yellow of worry now returned to a pinkish blue. Smiling with more confidence now, Lily stepped quickly and caught up to her friends.

--- --- ---

Breakfast was a busy affair, with Lily trying to eat as quickly as possible so that she might be in time for classes. Despite the groups of friends' best efforts they had still been a little late – Louise had insisted on decorating Lily's hair with all of the accessories she had given. As a result Lily looked rather like a red christmas tree, with ornaments hanging off her every which way. She was quite certain that they were not all meant to be worn at the same time, particularly as some of the pieces clashed rather obviously when placed together, yet it was what her friend had wanted, and Lily felt too amiable to refuse.

Much to Lily's chagrin, her eating of the morning meal was hindered somewhat by a long line of students who all insisted on coming up to her to inquire after her mother's health. She supposed that news did travel quickly around a school, yet she had never realised that she was so popular, or, at least, so well known. Polite, Lily didn't push the people away, preferring to thank them kindly and then quickly return to her food before the next one came.

Obviously, this began to irritate her close friends, too, who were continually being shoved into by caring people or interrupted by some other sympathiser. Eventually it got so bad that someone actually knocked Sky from her chair.

Immediate chaos ensued as a little bird, no bigger than someone's thumb - or perhaps smaller, progressed to dive on all the people surrounding sky, its yellow and brown markings only making it obvious when it flew straight at your face.

"Fao!" Sky cried, searching everywhere for her bird, an odd, frightened glint to her eye. Lily wondered at that, for surely Sky couldn't care so much about a little bird. Yet obviously she did care, for she quickly began forcing people away from the scene of the drama. This was actually rather difficult, as although the people being attacked by the tiny bundle of feathers were quite willing to leave, those who knew only of the excitement were rushing in to see what was happening – blocking the way for people trying to exit.

"FAO!" exclaimed Sky, shouting loud enough to bring everyone in the massive hall to silence. A feat that few but the head master could have managed. A high pitched chirp broke the silence, as the little bird flitted over to where Sky stood with a large smile splitting her face. Until she looked up at the crowds of people staring at her in silence.

"Oops…" she murmured, beginning to turn red at all the odd looks she was receiving.

The Marauders chose this opportune moment to set off another round of fireworks – non flammable this time – and a legion of dung bombs. In the rush to exit the hall as quickly as possible the students quite suddenly forgot the previous object of their attention, enabling Sky to sit back down again with a noisy sigh. Fao looked up at her inquiringly, giving that sweet little tweet of his that could mean anything.

Distracted, Lily pushed her hair back behind her shoulders, wondering as she did so if James had noticed the genuine concern in her eyes as she tried to help Sky… The crystal hanging from her wrist developed a rose pink tinge, while streaks of bright, passionate red shot through it.

~*~

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Author's notes  
Hope you enjoyed it! More to come soon, and, if I get lots of reviews, then I'll try to write even faster! Oh, and please read my "Ball" story - It was quite fun to write, and is a bit different to this one. Next I might write about a Karaoke! In my opinion that's been slightly overdone, too…


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